Up until recently, it was very difficult to see your own credit report. Consumers were not entitled to a free copy of their credit report unless they had recently been turned down for credit. If you were turned down, you had to write to each one of the three credit bureaus – Experian, Equifax, and Transunion – with a copy of your letter of denial, and request a copy of your credit report in writing from each agency. If you were not turned down for credit, and you wanted to see your own credit report, you would have to pay for it. Consequently, most people didn’t request copies of their credit report because they didn’t want to go through the huge hassle of requesting one.
Then in 2005, things changed when the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) mandated that consumers were entitled to one free credit report a year from the three major credit bureaus. At that point, the three agencies teamed up to build a website which allows you to get your free credit report from all three agencies in one place: www.annualcreditreport.com. There is also an 800 number you can use if you prefer to request your free credit report by phone: 877-322-8228.
By using this website, consumers can remain informed about the state of their credit report and help guard against identity theft.
Beware of other credit sites with names like “Free credit report” or the like, which look like the official site, but are not affiliated with the three credit bureaus. Often, these are private services which may require you to pay a subscription fee before accessing your “free” credit report. The real site, www.annualcreditreport.com, will not ask you for any money whatsoever. It’s important to be an informed credit consumer and know the true nature of these sites so you can fight identity theft and get fair treatment.